01 June, 2014

Forgive But Never Forget: Encounters at the Edge of the Forest, at Gallery 400

Yesterday, my wife and I visited Encounters at the Edge of the Forest at Gallery 400 in Chicago.

We found courageous and thought-provoking art from the following artists:
  
Vaughn Bell, Ori Gersht, David Goldblatt, Ken Gonzales-Day, Tim Knowles, Philippa Lawrence, Ariane Littman, Steve Rowell, Andreas Rutkauskas, and Jennifer Scott.
Vaughn Bell, Ori Gersht, David Goldblatt, Ken Gonzales-Day, Tim Knowles, Philippa Lawrence, Ariane Littman, Steve Rowell, Andreas Rutkauskas, and Jennifer Scott. - See more at: http://gallery400.uic.edu/exhibitions/encounters-at-the-edge-of-the-forest/related_pages/press-release#sthash.xFU2v1nH.dpuf
Vaughn Bell, Ori Gersht, David Goldblatt, Ken Gonzales-Day, Tim Knowles, Philippa Lawrence, Ariane Littman, Steve Rowell, Andreas Rutkauskas, and Jennifer Scott. - See more at: http://gallery400.uic.edu/exhibitions/encounters-at-the-edge-of-the-forest/related_pages/press-release#sthash.xFU2v1nH.dpuf

Artists: Vaughn Bell, Ori Gersht, David Goldblatt, Ken Gonzales-Day, Tim Knowles, Philippa Lawrence, Ariane Littman, Steve Rowell, Andreas Rutkauskas
We recommend that you see the exhibit, which closes June 14, 2014. 

It was the collages of Jennifer Scott we'll not forget, that incorporated lynching postcard memorabilia affixed to the outlined shape of a victim's hanging body. Powerfully, the hanging bodies depicted on the postcards are cut away, leaving a blank shape, and the viewer is impelled to focus on the evil of the gathered mob.

In contemporary times one often hears obsequious phrases like "we need more positive thinking in the world" or "we need more positive points of view" "we need to be more positive" etc.

Seems to me, to be positive is to embrace enough courage to acknowledge the truth.

Compassion is all fine-and-good -- one should feel compassion -- but if we want to effect change then we better take a close look at the impulse.

Thankfully, Jennifer Scott does:

Evil #1 by Jennifer Scott

Evil #2 by Jennifer Scott

Forgive But Never Forget by Jennifer Scott

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